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Wednesday, September 10, 2014

On Youthening

Dear John,

It was Merlin who youthened instead of aged, wasn't it? And Mork, too, I suppose. I seem to be doing something similar.

A few days ago Jen said that I'm looking younger as my hair gets longer, and I agree with her. Today I was chatting with a customer my age, and he was floored to find out how old I am. He said he would have guessed ten years younger.

I know work makes me look good because I enjoy what I do. The longer hair seems to help - it may be breaking the age stereotype, or that my dark hair shows up more, or that the style is just more flattering. And losing thirty pounds doesn't hurt. I'm not sure what it is. But the consensus is that I don't look my age.

I remember when somebody was trying to sell me a very expensive system that was supposed to make you look twenty years younger. She ask me if I wanted that, and was shocked when I said no. I never wanted to look younger than you did. After all, nobody was ever going to mistake me for a trophy wife. I get aggravated now at commercials that ask if you would like to wake up looking younger - again, I say no. I've lived these years and earned my age, by golly, and I want credit for it. I like being this age. The only thing that was better about being younger was that you were here, and no facelift will bring you back.

So I'll wear my almost-59-years gladly. I'm proud to be a Boomer. I was born in the middle of the last century. I've seen a lot of history. If I look younger than I am, well and good. But youth isn't the aim of my life. As I said last night, I'm just another aging hippie in a turquoise bandanna.

The photo is just a glimpse of what we could be if you'd come back and get old with me!